By OkayGoal 
The women’s soccer game is experiencing rapid growth around the world. Major tournaments are watched by millions of people, both old fans and new, while league game attendances continue to increase. While the men’s game is the most popular on the planet, the women’s sport is catching the eye of soccer fans and capturing the imagination.
As the women’s game’s audience grows and its appeal attracts more followers, the players on the pitch will become bigger names and stars, which is already having a direct impact on their earning potential. But just how much do female soccer players make right now? This article will delve into the earnings of the women’s game and focus on what affects pay in the sport.
What is the Average Annual Salary?
The average annual salary for a female professional soccer player globally is $10,900. That’s according to FIFA’s annual report for this year. For stars appearing for teams designed as ‘Tier 1’ by soccer’s world governing body, which includes 41 teams across 16 countries, the average salary was $24,030. For clubs at Tier 2 and 3, the average respective salaries were $4,361 and $2,805.
In the Women’s Super League played in England, the average player earned £47,000 a year back in 2022, according to analysis carried out by the BBC looking at published salaries from seven of the 12 teams in the top-flight. In the three years since, it can be assumed and estimated that this figure will have risen with new players signing and others being offered enhanced terms when putting pen to paper on new contracts.
What is Behind the Growth of Women’s Soccer?
First things first, it’s worth looking at the rise of the women’s game, particularly in recent years. Numbers compiled by Women’s Sport Trust data showed that in 2024, nearly 45 million people tuned in to watch women’s sport, up from 37.6 million in 2022. The demand is there as soccer fans engage with and are interested in the women’s game, from league football played each week to international tournaments which take place every couple of years.
Television companies like BBC and Sky Sports in the UK are giving the women’s game a greater platform and are showing more live games and highlights than ever before. As the interest grows, the accessibility to watch matches will enhance the desire to tune in.
The growth of women’s soccer is being powered by multiple factors — grassroots investment, media coverage, social change — but also by betting companies adding fuel by providing sponsorships, broadcasting incentives, and fan engagement tools. Their involvement helps bring in money, data, and visibility, which accelerates the professionalization and popularity of the women’s game.
What’s more, fans can predict the outcome of matches to add an extra thrill to the action out on the pitch. Supporters can check this SBR page to explore betting markets, while promotions and offers like bonus codes can enhance the gaming experience for enthusiasts.
Social media has also played a part as the players can share updates with supporters, which forges a connection. Fans can follow the star names and take an active interest in their profiles, from watching them in action to listening to post-match interviews.
Importantly, the rise of the women’s game is inspiring the next generation of female footballers who will see becoming a professional as a career goal that can be realized.
Who is the Highest Paid Women’s Player in the World?
Aitana Bonmati is reportedly the highest-paid soccer player in the world. That’s according to ESPN, which in September 2024 announced the player’s new Barcelona contract when she signed a four-year deal to extend her stay in Catalonia until 2028.
The report claimed Bonmati’s agent, Cristian Martin, had revealed that Chelsea had been prepared to pay the €3 million release clause included in her last contract and so the Spanish giants decided to act to tie one of their key players down to the club.
ESPN wrote that while women’s football salaries are not public, sources said that the top earners in the National Women’s Soccer League and Women’s Super League earned between €400,000 and €600,000 annually.
Barcelona and Lyon are said to be among the teams outside of the United States and England to pay sizeable wages and ESPN sources said that Bonmati’s deal would see her paid more than any wage before.
What Affects Women’s Pay?
In women’s soccer, there are a number of factors that come into play that affect how much players are paid on a weekly and annual basis.
The team’s and league’s revenue and popularity are key, as clubs can only pay what they can afford. Sponsorship and broadcast deals also have an impact, as does the team’s size and the player’s marketability and skillset.
As media coverage grows, more sponsorship opportunities will present themselves to players who will have the option to front campaigns and advertisements, as well as wear specific sports brands.
Then, of course, there are incentives and bonuses to take into account based on performance and results on the field. For instance, the Guardian newspaper reported that England’s women’s team would be handed a record £1.7m bonus package if the team won Euro 2025, which the girls went on to achieve.
How does Women’s Pay Compare with Men’s
The money in men’s football is now astronomical and so the women’s pay is much less at the top end of the game. This summer, The Sun newspaper reported Cristiano Ronaldo’s new mega deal with Al-Nassr was worth £492m over two years and included a stake in the team.
The men’s game currently rakes in a greater amount of money from broadcast deals and sponsorships and so there is a difference between what male soccer players are paid compared with female players.
According to a CNN report published in 2023, soccer players at the 2023 Women’s World Cup would, on average, earn just 25 cents for every dollar earned by male players competing at the 2022 men’s World Cup.
What the FIFA Report Said
FIFA’s annual report on the women’s game which was reported on in March 2025, revealed details of pay for female soccer players and stated: “There is a need for players of a certain standard to earn a reliable and sufficient income solely from playing, reducing their dependence on secondary sources of income and allowing them to dedicate the time required to play at a higher level.”
“A longer contract enables players to commit to a club and a location, giving them more stability so they can focus on their footballing careers,” it added.
“For clubs in Tier 1, the average attendance at the other stadium was typically double that at the regular stadium, indicating that the sport can attract larger audiences on occasion.”
Overall, the women’s game is growing at a rapid rate and as competitions continue to thrive and broadcasters and sponsors pump more money into the game, this will likely be reflected in the amounts earned by female soccer players.